She had heard tales of these strange, short-lived creatures,
that looked so much like her own kind.
Eerily similar, indeed, aside from odd-looking ears,
and melancholy eyes.
Peaceful, the creature before her,
soundly asleep ~
Curiosity won her over, she had to sneak a peek.
Attuned, aided by the Great Spirit,
a glance into its mind.
Jolt, coursing through her,
pain ~
In its mind she saw, its species’ history,
etched like memory, into its cells.
Violence, metal, sword and arrows,
disease, plague and mass extinction.
War, machines, bullets and bombs,
things she had never known before ~
cruelty, savagery, and ruthless ambition…

Horrified she pulled back her hand,
but not before it was too late.
In the creature’s mind,
she had gleaned ~
what it was to be human.

A curse, she then knew existed,
stronger than any spell ever woven,
by Elven hands,
Mankind’s inhumanity ~
toward man.